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The more we learn about the lead-contaminated water in Flint, Michigan, the more we shake our heads, and the angrier we get. We ask ourselves how this can happen in America. We point our fingers at government officials who knew about the contaminated water but did nothing.

Now what? What comes after the indignant outrage? In most cases, nothing, because too many people see this only as a Flint problem. While Flint may be one of the most extreme examples, it’s far from the only example. Lead poisoning is a problem in many American cities, putting millions of children at risk for learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and hearing impairment.

In Flint, the lead was flowing through the city’s water lines into residents’ homes, contaminating an estimated 9,000 children and many thousands of adults. In other cities, lead may be hiding in paint in older homes (especially those built before 1978), in painted toys and jewelry, in soil (yards, playgrounds, and elsewhere), and, of course, in drinking water.

Lead Poisoning: Deadly, But Preventable

Lead is a potent neurotoxin. There is no safe level of exposure for children, the damage is permanent and irreversible, and there are no obvious symptoms. As a pediatrician, I know that I can’t guess which children have lead poisoning and which ones don’t. I have to screen every child carefully and determine who needs a blood test to check for lead levels.

The test is quick and easy: It can be done at your doctor’s office or at some local health departments, and many health insurers cover the cost. Children covered by Medicaid are eligible for free screenings and are required by law to be screened in Ohio, where I work. (Check with your state Medicaid office to find out if this is the case where you live.)

Healthcare providers must continue to diligently screen all pregnant women and children; children younger than 6 are at greatest risk. Typically we find that children are more vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead poisoning than adults. However, lead exposure (especially in high amounts over a short period of time) can negatively affect an adult’s health as well. According to the CDC, people with prolonged exposure to lead may be at greater risk for developing high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, and reduced fertility.

Despite the fact that lead poisoning is one of the most preventable public health problems, the CDC estimates that at least 4 million U.S. households have children who are being exposed to high levels of lead, and about 500,000 children between ages 1 and 5 have tested positive for elevated blood lead levels (above 5 micrograms [mcg] per deciliter).

Once children are diagnosed with lead poisoning, the damage cannot always be reversed. (In some isolated instances, children’s lead levels can be reduced through treatment, though the medication is limited to extreme cases in which lead levels are 45 mcg or greater.) In asking President Obama to declare a state of emergency in Flint, the American Academy of Pediatrics pointed out that these children and their families will need long-term help, because lead exposure will continue to affect their physical and behavioral health, their schooling, their exposure to toxic stress, and much more.

What Can We Do to Prevent Future Lead Poisoning Crises?

Beyond providing ongoing care to the children of Flint, it’s become obvious that we have to hold our government officials accountable at federal, state, and local levels.

We may never eliminate lead from our cities, but we can offer critical guidance. Most importantly, pediatricians must educate parents on how to avoid lead poisoning in their children. In particular, parents should be told how to determine whether their homes, work, or hobbies present a lead hazard to their children. They should be aware of infants and toddlers’ normal mouthing behavior — the tendency to put everything in their mouths as part of exploration of the environment — and informed that lead can be invisibly present in dust and be ingested by children when they put hands and toys in their mouths. (Lead paint chips are actually very sweet, which is why kids like to eat them.)

The efforts must reach beyond individual children, though. Identifying cases of lead poisoning — while extremely important to the individual child — will not decrease the larger, societal risk of lead poisoning. Strong public health programs must include environmental investigation, transitional lead-safe housing assistance, and follow-up for individual cases. Lead-screening programs in high-risk areas should be integrated with other housing and public health activities, and with facilities for medical management and treatment.

The lead-poisoning issue is largely confined to low-income, minority populations — a constituency that often goes unheard. Those of us with a voice must use it and make this easily preventable hazard a priority. It's simply unacceptable that children at the greatest risk for lead exposure are those who live below the poverty line.

There is much more we can do than shake our heads and point our fingers.

Elaine E. Schulte, MD, MPH, a native Clevelander, joined the staff of Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital in 2007. She is a pediatrician and medical director for the International Adoption Program, which provides comprehensive care — including pre-adoption consultation through Cleveland Clinic MyConsult, post-adoption evaluation, ongoing primary care, and multidisciplinary evaluation — to internationally adopted children and their families. She is a board-certified pediatrician who has been in practice for more than 20 years.

Top photo credit/caption: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images. On January 24, 2016, protesters hand out water to Flint residents during a rally at Flint City Hall in Michigan.

Bottom photo credit/caption: Paul Sancya/AP Photo. On February 3, 2015, Genetha Campbell carries free water being distributed at the Lincoln Park United Methodist Church in Flint, Michigan.

Last Updated:2/10/2016

Important: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not Everyday Health. See More

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